


Weaknesses

by spacefucker



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Admissions of Love, M/M, Steve has a weakness, Stubbornness, Tony is oblivious and Steve drops a figurative bomb, Tony please just let people in, also a lot of cursing, it's late and i am drugged up so woah, magneto mention but called 'magneato' bc reasons, somewhat graphic detail of injuries and issues, tony doesn't believe him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-08 22:14:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7775728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacefucker/pseuds/spacefucker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony is harmed during battle and Steve needs to take him out of the suit. Tony would normally be fine with being undressed by America's sweetheart but he has major reservations about this. So Steve tells him something in hopes of changing Tony's mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Weaknesses

Tony figures that there are two different types of people on the team. Well, they’re all different in their own scary ways but that’s not the point. There are the people who remember that Iron Man and Tony Stark are separate. Then there are the people who don’t. Most of them forget. In fact, the only people who seemed to remember was Jane, Darcy, Thor, and Natasha.

Fifty percent is still a failing grade and he only considers it failing because Jane and Darcy are technically not on the actual team.

The point of all of this is to illustrate that most of the team fails to remember that they’re separate entities.

Natasha was a spy and was trained to see things for what they were. Though, Clint is too so he’s not sure what to make of that. Clint is different, in a good way, and he supposes he was ok with the fact that he hadn’t figured it out yet.

‘It’ being his many disabilities.

There’s a reason Tony spends most of his time in his workshop. There was a reason he missed most charity events, publicity whatevers, and when he did show up he did it ‘in style’. There’s reasons Pepper gives him shit in front of others but does what she can to help behind closed doors. This is why Rhodey is protective of him. Though he always has been.

Everything ranging from birth defects that his parents hid from the world and combat-related injuries is what kept him from doing most anything out of the suit. Drinking is a coping mechanism for more than one thing. Even though he hears liver failure is painful he supposes it’s all a one-step-at-a-time sort of thing.

What gets him the most is that Steve doesn’t see it.

The arc reactor gives him more trouble than he lets on. Its pain isn’t dull and inconsistent; it’s a constant, sharp pain that twinges with every beat of his heart. His fake smiles aren’t so much arrogance as they are his best to hide a grimace.  

The space the reactor takes up diminishes his lung capacity. This makes it harder to breathe. It also means that his oxygen levels aren’t ever optimum. Which translates to poorly oxygenated blood. The upside being that he actually gets more drunk faster. So yay for plus sides!

His legs are what pains him the most, surprisingly. Slight misplacement of tendons and ligaments in his legs, specifically around his knee, was the shit-fest that happened at birth. Multiple surgeries and reconstructions to do fuck-all for pain and dislocations. His weak knees and racing heart had nothing to do with love. Most of the time.

Anyway, he was super careful of how he acted around the team. Only used his cane when by himself or with Pepper or Rhodey, he was the first to show up for movie night, and never stepped out of the suit unless necessary around the team.

He’s not even sure why.

Rhodey would call bullshit. Some psycho-babble about Tony’s trust issues. Whatever.

Point is, this all culminated to the absolute bitch-of-a-day where he was stuck with no other choice but to reveal himself.

And he was terrified.

The battle was over. Cue smoldering pieces of broken skyscraper concrete and millions in damages that Stark Industries would surely be charged for. A particularly nasty X-Man by the shitty name of ‘Magneato’ – pah-lease you three-year old – twisted his armor into what could only be described as a pretzel from Antie Ann’s.

That’s a bit of an exaggeration, sure, but it feels apropos considering the way Steve’s looking at him with what could only be described as his trademarked mix of worry and exasperation.

“Tony.” Steve huffs, looking for all he can like the roughed-up American Sweetheart. “I need to pull your armor apart. We need to untwist you.”

“He’s right, sir.” Jarvis comments, garbled. “There’s too much damage to the suit.”

“Steve.” Tony’s close to seething. Made at himself and mad for the situation. Fuck that magnet guy. “I’m saying I’m fine. Have the hulk take me to the workshop. The bots can handle this.”

“You and I both know that Dummy would just make this worse.” Steve half-laughs before sobering up. “You’re bleeding.”

“Yeah, I noticed.” Tony bites.

That was a huge fucking lie.

Steve looks contemplative, “Tony, I’m all about asking permission but if you insist on acting like a child-“

“Oh,” Tony grits, trying for levity, “is this where I learn about your Big/Little fetish?”

There’s a creeping of a blush from beneath the neck of Steve’s uniform up his neck and even through an intense haze of pain Tony can’t help but be proud of himself.

Steve doesn’t dignify it with a response and rubs a hand over his face before speaking softly, “Why won’t you let me help you?”

“Because,” Tony tries to snap but wheezes instead, “I can handle it.”

It’s quiet for a moment and Steve is studying Tony’s mask like he can see right through it. Tony would squirm if he could. The silence is literally deafening and Tony prays that something happens before the pounding rush of blood in his ears renders him temporarily deaf.

“I know.” It’s all he says.

Tony’s brain short-circuits for a second and all he manages is a very soft, “What?”

“I know.” Steve repeats. “I know about it all. Your pain and all of the physical issues. The emotional ones, too. I play the dumb card for the media but I’m not an idiot.”

“Didn’t say you were one.” Tony manages, with no bite.

“I know.” Steve smiles softly and Tony has about had it with that fucking phrase. “Let me help you.”

“I can’t.” Is all he manages and he feels like a child. “What if someone else sees?”

Steve shifts closer and holds Tony’s Iron hand like it’s the same. Like it’s some sort of calming gesture and fuck if Tony doesn’t feel like it is working.

“The whole team knows.” Steve says gently and Tony flinches the best he can, hissing with the jolt of sharper pain.

“The whole-?” Tony is wheezing again and he can feel the panic rising. It constricts his heart in the worst way and the black spots in his vision get larger. He can feel his blood pulsing joltingly in his arms, across his chest, and up his neck into his head.

Steve looks worried, “Calm down, Tony.”

Tony coughs out a laugh, “’Calm down’. Jesus fuck, Rogers. Telling me to fucking calm down doesn’t magically make me feel like I’m not dying.”

“You’re not dying.”

“Technically, we’re all dying.” Tony coughs a laugh.

“Goddammit, Tony.” Steve sighs.

Tony gasps, half because he has to and half out of surprise, “Shame on you, Catholic Boy.”

Steve smiles an honest to god smile and Tony’s heart would skip a beat if it wasn’t already intent on killing him.

“What if I told you my weakness?” Steve asks softly.

Tony barks out a laugh but his curious mind perks up at the notion.

“I’m serious.” Steve almost growls, petulant.

Tony sighs, “Ok, Wonder Bread, what’s you’re weakness?”

“I love you.”

Tony’s ecstatic for half a second before he’s pissed, “That’s not fucking funny.”

“I’m not laughing.” Steve says, patient.

Tony laughs, slightly hysterical, “Ok.”

“Ok?” Steve asks.

“Yeah, yeah.” Tony huffs. “Help me or whatever.”

Steve lifts an eyebrow and his mouth quirks at the edge in an almost smirk before he gets to work on Tony’s suit.

As pieces of the suit are pried apart the best Steve can without harming Tony too much, Tony manages to grit out, “And we will be having a talk about this whole you-love-me business when we get home.”

Steve smiles then and takes off the mask next, “Yes, sir.”

**Author's Note:**

> lmao it's late send me prompts


End file.
